


Unfinished dabbles

by ghostrags



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-20
Updated: 2020-11-20
Packaged: 2021-03-10 03:09:58
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 3,264
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27646634
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ghostrags/pseuds/ghostrags
Summary: I won't have this phone for much longer so I'm posting all the unfinished fics in my notes app. These are old and unfinished for a reason so read with a grain of salt. These are mostly character studies on Byleth.
Relationships: Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd/My Unit | Byleth, My Unit | Byleth/Claude von Riegan
Comments: 2
Kudos: 11





	1. Chapter 1

Directory 

Chapter 1: Midnight chat (Claudleth)  
Chapter 2: Insecurity (Dimileth)  
Chapter 3: Dirdriu (Claudleth) Completed  
Chapter 4: Hand holding (Claudleth) Completed  
Chapter 5: Drink (Dimileth)   
Chapter 6: Contact (Dimileth)


	2. Midnight chat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Claudr thinks a lot. I intended to write more but it ends on a decent enough note to consider it completed

"You still awake, By?" Claude's voice parted the cool night air more gently than the beat of a butterfly's wings.

Byleth hummed from his spot on the large bed, not motivated enough to open his mouth in response.

"Can I ask you something?" Came the voice again, still gentle yet now with an undeniable pitch of childlike curiosity. It made Byleth's chest feel sweet like honeyed cakes. He turned over to face the man that made him feel such a way, his tired gaze chased away by fondness.

"You didn't choose to be a teacher way back then, did you" this time, Claude's voice wasn't so light and airy. It held a lower tone.

Byleth hesitated for a moment. "No" came his reply once he decided to tell the truth rather than give the noncommital grunt he desired.

Claude turned his head to face the other man, his eyes sleepy yet bright with cleverness as they always were and always will be, "that explains why you were so grumpy all the time"

Byleth sat up at this, "I was not grumpy" his tone was deadpan, but to Claude, who knew how to read even the slightest changes in tone, the response was dripping with incredulity.

"You wanted nothing more than for me to piss off the first time we spoke alone" that damned mischievous glint had taken up residence in Claude's eyes, matched only by the highly amused tilt he spoke with.

Byleth huffed, now fully awake "The way I remember it, you were being a nosey little brat" 

"Aha!" Claude sat up quickly, a victorious finger pointed at his husband "I knew it! You wanted nothing to do with me!" He was smiling quite brazenly for someone who's just learned his partner's initial disinterest.

Byleth wasn't sure why he hadn't pretended to be asleep in the first place now. "I felt that way about all of you" he grunted, flopping back onto the bed, suddenly tired again. "That and I barely had any sleep that first month, something I'd like to make up for now"

"Hmm? Why's that" Claude asked, hovering his face over the other man's 

"Why?-" Byleth was surprised he needed to state something so obvious, but Claude's face remained unchanged. "I was barely literate, that and I'd never heard of a lesson plan before"

"Jeralt never taught you how to read?" He pressed, fully dropping his teasing tone now.

"He did, but it's not like I had much access to books"

"I suppose I never thought of that" Claude sighed, quickly he added "too busy trying to figure out every other curiosity rolled up into your shape"

Byleth hummed, yet again determined to slip into the inky wash of slumber. He shimmied himself into Claude's side.

"Well that's one mystery solved"


	3. Insecurity

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dimitri finds out Byleth isn't as untouchable as he thought

Dimitri has grown to know Byleth as an insecure individual. At least when it came to his own emotional self image. On the battle feild he knew no equal. When instructing in the classroom, no other could be as concise and effective. He was flexible in his teachings and when counseling his students.

But there were moments, quiet ones, and far between, that Dimitri saw glimpses of an individual with little self worth.

The first time he could recall seeing that person, was during one of their talks in the academy together. Dimitri had mentioned his first impression of the professor, of his initial reluctance to cooperate with an individual who felt nothing when taking the life of another.

Another and much more jarring occurence was when Dimitri had proposed. The stretch of silence that took years off the King's life wasn't necessarily one of rejection.

"I just...never thought I would marry"

These rare moments always caught the young king off guard. For one, they were a show of deeper emotion that didnt come often to Byleth and had a sense of novelty in it of themselves. For another... they seemed too human.

For as long as Dimitri had known the smaller man, he had always seemed indomitable. Never conquered and never 

That was why his supposed death at the battle of Garreg Mach was so incomprehensible. Of course even this was eventually proven to be a mere setback to the goddess vessel.

Of course Dimitri chided himself for following this train of thought as he knew, from slow and careful extrapolation, that the question of Byleth's humanity was, at least one, source of said insecurity.

Still, none of this changed the fact that Byleth was frustratingly tight lipped over his own troubles. Whether it was willfully noncompliance or an lack of ability to speak on his own emotional state, the outcome is the same.

Quiet nights where the king was awoken, not by visions of bloody specters, but more so by a feeling. A strange sense of unwellness, bordering on that of sickness. Byleth would be there, not tossing and turning about like most in the fits of a night terror, instead completely still. Taut beyond being and clutching at his sides or his hair, drawn into ball with his knees nearly touching his own chin.

Dimitri would sooth his husband awake, Byleth would wake with a start and stare up at him as if he was dead and rotting where he sat. After that he would look about the room as if he wasn't quite sure where he was and soon recognize and settle.

Dimitri knew better than to pry on these nights, no matter how his curiosity vexed him. What on earth could frighten his old teacher so? No, he tried once before, Byleth only brushed his fingers against his throat while his jaw clenched and clenched, seemingly at random, looking ashamed and refusing to make eye contact.

The morning after, upon gently pressing the other man for an explanation, all he was able to get was, 

"It wasn't you" he corrected quickly, "I just get like that sometimes" Byleth mumbled, fiddling with a loose thread on his pillow

"You never did such a thing back at the officers academy" no matter how hard he racked his brain, this was all new. He'd never seen anything like this happen to anyone he knew, much less his own husband

"I did, I was just good at hiding it" it made sense, but the thought of Byleth literally suffering in silence made Dimitri's heart ache 

"Been like this since I was a kid" Byleth added slowly, filling the stretch of silence left by his previous statement. He could tell Byleth was beginning to withdrawal from the conversation, a habit Dimitri did notice soon after they met

"I don't think any differently of you" Dimitri assured quickly "you saw me in such a sorry state and supported me without question for months, please do not think I dont wish to do the same"

And they ended it there. When the terrors struck again they would move through the motions, but Byleth would seek Dimitri out for comfort. Still, he would refuse to speak of the content of the nightmares, but practically burrowing himself into his husband's front seemed to pacify the fitfull man.


	4. Dirdriu

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is probably the oldest one. Blue lions route Claudleth. For this one I imagined Claude got sword tutoring in the academy days so their relationship is closer to what it would be in the golden deer gd route.

It was the aftermath of the battle. Things had gotten tight for more than a few of the lions and Dimitri was finishing his rounds of checking on them individually when he saw Byleth and Claude together.

At first he had assumed it was some form of debriefing, Byleth getting information that could prove useful should Claude wish to part with it.

But then Dimitri saw his former professor's eyes. Pale green staring up at the other male with a fondness- no adoration that was foreign to the prince. Not that Byleth didn't look at Dimitri with a gentleness that he, at times, felt he didn't deserve, this was different. There were so many emotions swirling in the brief glimpses he had gotten.

It was when he saw a similar intensity in Claude's gaze that things began to be questioned in Dimitri's mind. Yes the pair had been close during the years before the war, closer than a teacher and the head of opposing houses normally would be but-

And Byleth lifted his hand to cup Claude's face, brushing a thumb against the other's beard, a warm smile spreading across his face, met with- what Dimitri imagined was some sort of quip from the brunette- a sly smile and then Claude placed his hand over Byleth's on his face and his eyes slipped closed, seemingly lost in the moment.

It hadn't occurred to Dimitri that Byleth would ever take a lover, let alone Claude of all people. Romance had rarely crossed his mind in regards to his own situation, least of all the stoic professor's. If anything he assumed there was simply no interest in either gender, judging from his reactions to Manuela's advances and lack of initiative towards men. Dimitri had known these types of individuals to exist and accepted his teacher as one of them.

But it seems his conclusion was off. How long had they been involved? Was this tryst new? Had they been corresponding? It was in the midst of his thoughts that a phrase from Claude caused Dimitri to tune in on the conversarion,

"I'm leaving Fodlan for... a while" there was an uncharacteristic somberness in his voice, one that Dimitri even felt sympathy for

Surprisingly this statement was met with a understanding smile from Byleth, "for your dream?"

"Yes, but it may take years, I don't know when we'll meet again" Claude muttered, he had taken Byleth's hands into his own, holding them so softly yet with a tightness that told so much

"You've worked hard for this" Byleth hummed back, "I'm lucky to be with you now"

"Oh? Did Gronder escape your memory so soon?" The taller sniped, his cocky grin set comfortably back on his face

Byleth frowned "No, otherwise you would have been fighting with us today, if I hadn't-"

"Hey" Claude cut him off " It was my fault, remember? That tree line was so thick I mistook you for an imperial, my wyvern and I were infront of the sun, there's no way you could've known it was me"

"Even so, you... I could've killed you" Byleth began to stutter, his saintly composure melting away as guilt over took his features

"You think I don't know what you did? The alliance suffered so few casualties somebody had to have been involved. You kept my friends and I alive"

Dimitri remembers, even through the haze of his hellish anger, he remembered Byleth's barely contained anxiety as he comanded, pleaded, threatened the lions before the battle,

"No alience members shall fall by our hands, you will not engage unless attacked. We focus solely on the empire"  
The strategist barked, moments after his voiced lowered, a prayer to himself "maybe once the empire retreats Claude will see we mean no harm..."

Byleth came close to death that day. He feverishly chased Edelgard down and forced her to retreat, something seen as a slight by Dimitri at the time for the stolen battle. But when the alliance kept attacking Byleth commanded the lions to retreat, to chase down any lingering imperials.

He was under heavy tree cover from what Dimitri put together, an archer- who he now knows to be Claude- struck Byleth three times, pinning him to the forest floor, all Byleth could do was strike the Wyvern rider down with the sword of the creator's whip like fury. Only then did the alliance retreat.

When questioned, Byleth lied. He said it was some imperial that did it to him. The arrows just inches from his heart had peirced his lungs, he was drowning in his own blood when Dimitri found him.

"And today!" Claude continued, jabbing an accusing finger at the newly bandaged lacerations on Byleth's side, courtesy of Arundel's wayward blade when Byleth threw himself infront of Claude and finished the battle, "you aren't this stupid normally are you?" The man hissed. His gaze softened, bringing Byleth's hand to his lips, "We'll consider it even, ok?"

"When are you leaving?"

"Tomarrow morning, you'll be setting off for Garegh Mach within the hour if history tells" Claude replied

It was true, Dimitri had been coming to tell Byleth that very thing. A heaviness hung over the two. Silent questions and hopes and unspoken surrender. So little time they had. The suggestion was so visible between them that even Dimitri heard it without the aid of words,

'Come with me'

Before the blonde could even begin to wonder why Byleth didn't choose the Golden deer, the answer to both questions was already there.

'He needs me'

That was when Dimitri had decided. He stole himself and approached the pair.

"I apologize for interrupting the debriefing," he announced "Byleth, I've just finished checking up on everyone"

Byleth's eyes had widened but his somber acceptance of what was to come never left, "Of course, we'll be setting off then."

"No" Byleth had given him so much, patience, kindness, acceptance, even when Dimitri was lost to the world. It was time he gave back, even if it was so little, "Though the injuries aren't grave, I would prefer not to march them so soon after. That and they had all seemed so excited to see the capital...." he trailed off " Claude, would you have us, if only for the night?"

The look of shock that had passed between the two was almost funny. Claude of course composed himself, "lucky for you the siege seemed to be mostly superficial, maybe if you all hadn't shown up late you would see my city in it's true beauty" snide remarks of course, even now, "but yes, I will have your band of merry men. And why not hold a feast while we're all here? We did just fend of a devastating invasion afterall"

"Of course, I thank you, Claude" Dimitri smiled 

"No... thank you"

The feast was grand, naturally. The lions seemed shocked but quickly took to their role of being to tired to march back home, though that weariness soon melted away at the first sight of festivities. It was also during the celebration that Claude spoke to Dimitri of the Allience's disbandment and his relinquishing of his title. Though the news did come as a shock, when paired with the context of the conversation he overheard, made sense.

It was hard not to see Byleth and Claude together. They were hardly apart. They danced and ate and spoke together. And soon they disappeared together. Maybe to some odd corner of the grand hall Dimitri had yet to discover himself, or to somewhere more private. 

He did not let himself be carried away by what he has done. If anything he felt it to be more for himself. He had lost years to his all consuming hatred for Edelgard, and while he still intends to do whatever he must, it feels that giving this night, a night that could have been used to further him exacting his revenge, was given to something else. Something that wasn't a promise of death, of an end. But of something new.

He hoped that this night would give Byleth and Claude something to hold onto as they reconstructed the worlds they had promised themselves to. 

And while he was sure the couple were making promises of all kinds that night, Dimitri made one of himself. A promise to Claude,

'I'll keep him safe'


	5. Hand holding

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nerds

Claude's hand felt heavy. Byleth had become hyperfocased on himself and his own actions with the sudden intimacy. He was all too awear how illequipt he was in this field. 

Byleth's fingers twitched and shivered as he fought with himself over what was the 'right' action to take in this situation. He settled on gripping Claude's hand back, though his cursed body continued trembling weakly.

He felt vulnerable. He felt weak. He felt a bit afraid that someone could have such power over him with seemingly so little effort. 

But, if the dampness of the other's palm was anything to go by,it seemed like he felt the same... and for some reason that made everything feel a little safer.


	6. Drink

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bold of you to assume a mercenary has a healthy relationship with alcohol

"Professor, if I might be so forward as to ask, why is it you refuse to drink with the rest of the class?"

After a short stretch of silence, gauging how truthfully he should answer the inquiry, Byleth slowly spoke, "I don't like how it makes me feel" his gaze turned towards the ground, 

A beat.

"I do not know if I will be able to indulge in moderation" He admitted quietly


	7. Contact

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sort of a reimagining of insecurities? Byleth is terrible at understanding his own emotions and even worse at articulating them

'All these years I've spent leaning on you, is this all you will burden me with?'Dimitri thought

It was in this way, pressing himself into his husband's side and burying his face in the broad, scarred shoulder as he slept, did Byleth show any form of vulnerability or dependency. 

Dimitri wasn't upset, perse. He admired Byleth for his strength and independence, of course, but as his husband, shouldn't he be there to provide support in the moments between?

It was hard, not to feel rejected, when Byleth is startled awake by nightmares and those very visions denied ever having taken place merely moments after.

One morning, the king brought up the reoccurring events,

"I want to... be here for you, I don't want you to suffer in isolation" he was ernest and spoke on thoughts he had been having for weeks at that point

When his admission was met with silence, his insecurities crept to the surface, "If you do not wish to share your demons we me, I understand... I am aware I do not posses a favorable background in dealing with such things. I want you to be shown the kindness and patience you showed me these past years"

It was at this, Byleth reached forward and clasped Dimitri's large hands in his own, unable to encircle the large units, yet instilling a reassuring comfort that calmed his fears almost instantly.

"I'm sorry I made you feel that way" Byleth looked sincere in this, though curt, Dimitri understood immediately the intention.

It illicited a small chuckle from the king "I try to provide comfort and you somehow turn it around on me" it was just like him, ever the considerate professor, watching out for his students, "then why? I do not mean to overstep-"

Byleth clenched his jaw and opened his mouth, searching for the words that refused to come, "it's...it isn't you- I want to tell you"

Dimitri listened silently, partially in awe he even got Byleth to speak at all on the matter. He didn't want to rush the smaller man.

"It's so impossible" Byleth sighed "i just can't speak when it comes to it"

"You're dreams, you mean?" Dimitri asked

Byleth nodded "or my... feelings. Or me" he shook his head, casting his gaze downwards, "I don't like to think about any of it"

Dimitri took his husband's chin between his own thumb and bent forefinger, gentle coaxing his face up so that their eyes might meet.

Byleth had this way of looking at Dimitri that had made the blond man furious when they first reunited after those 5 long years and now it made his heart flutter. A look that held such genuine, undeniable love. Dimitri would never stop feeling unworthy of such pure affection.


End file.
